Carl G. Roe, executive director of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, yesterday issued an executive order removing protection from feral swine throughout most of the state. Protection remains only in Butler, Bedford and Cambria counties to facilitate hog trapping by the U.S. and Pennsylvania departments of Agriculture.

Most Pennsylvanians either will cheer the move that will allow for continued removal of the domestic hogs gone wild or not really care one way or the other.

A very small number of hog-hunting enthusiasts, however, will not be happy.

There are those who have made pursuit of Pennsylvania's small, but growing, feral swine population into a sport.

And, that's exactly what the Game Commission and the conservation community don't want to see happening.

Pennsylvania doesn't need a new advocacy group favoring the hogs as a game animal, which they definitely are not.

If funding had been available to do more wide-scale trapping of the animals - the most effective way to get rid of them - the commission never would have lifted protection and allowed unlimited hunting, which tends to spread the animals and lead to population growth.

"Trapping is the most effective way to remove feral swine from the wild, because it limits their dispersal into new areas," said Roe. "If funding is not available for trapping, we may consider lifting protection in these three counties, as well.

"The Game Commission has determined that the eradication of feral swine from Pennsylvania is necessary to prevent further harm to public and private property, threats to native wildlife and disease risks for wildlife and the state's pork industry. We are not seeking to establish a hunting season, but we
are committed to rid Pennsylvania of this invasive species."

About 25 states across the country have persistent, and possibly permanent, populations of feral swine established in the wild.

Pennsylvania is one of 16 new states where introduction is more recent and may still be countered
through decisive eradication efforts.

Feral swine are suspected to have been introduced into the wild in Pennsylvania through both intentional and unintentional releases.

The animals have been determined to pose a significant, imminent and unacceptable threat to the state's natural resources, including wildlife and its habitats; the agricultural industry, including crop and livestock production; the forest products industry; and human health and safety.

In announcing Roe's executive order, the Game Commission released the following anecdotal evidence of the damage done by wild hogs.

"A local farmer contacted me after he planted and re-planted a cornfield three times because feral swine were rooting up his corn," said Jonathan Zuck, commission land management group supervisor for Bedford and Fulton counties.
"The farmer told me he would rather have deer damaging his crops, because at least he would still get a stalk to harvest. The swine, on the other hand, root up the corn while it is still germinating leaving behind only dirt. I also had reports of the swine rooting fields of winter wheat."

Zuck noted that he also has witnessed feral swine damages to state game lands, including food plots, vernal pools and the soils around trees.

"Recently, on SGL 49, I found a hole that was more than one foot deep that was caused by feral swine rooting," Zuck said. "Last week, I was checking a food plot and noticed where feral swine had rooted about a quarter of a winter wheat food plot. During the same week, I survey rooting damage to a grass field on SGL 97 near Chaneysville.

"Most of the damage I have observed on and off game lands has been limited to grass fields or food plots with wheat. Rooting activity in grass fields looks similar to damage caused by a shallow-running plow as the grasses and associated soils are turned over. The damage is spotty, but where it does occur it is quite severe as often the vegetation is wiped out, exposing bare soils."

Zuck noted that, in addition to disturbing vegetation, feral swine are out competing native wildlife for natural foods, such as acorns, especially during the fall and winter months.

"I can easily envision a feral swine preying upon a turkey or grouse nest or wallowing in a seep, but some people may not recognize that feral swine are robbing wildlife of its limited food resources," Zuck said. "A group of up to 10 feral swine can consume a large quantity of acorns in a short amount of time, leaving very little mast behind for deer, turkeys, squirrels, and other wildlife."